smart phone-based application for evaluation and rehabilitation of hindfoot pain

Conditions: Achilles Tendinopathy; Plantar Fascitis; Feet Pes Cavus; Feet Pes Planus (Flatfoot); Foot Diseases

Summary: this randomized controlled study aims to evaluate the status of the individuals with hindfoot pain and to recommend preventive precautions and appropriate exercise programs with smart phone-based applications. additionally, to compare the results of patients who attended through mobile applications (achilles tendinopathy and plantar fasciitis) with the results of patients included in the hands-on program.

foot pain is common in the general population, with prevalence estimates ranging from 17 to 30% . a systematic review concluded that nearly one-quarter of adults over age 45 experience frequent foot pain. foot pain has been associated with poor balance, gait problems, the limitation of daily living activities, and health-related quality of life. it has been reported that at least two-thirds of individuals experience moderate functional daily life problems .the etiology of hindfoot pain is mostly associated with achilles tendinopathy and plantar fasciitis, which are prevalent, affecting millions of people each year . most cases of hindfoot pain if not treated, they will get worse with time and resistant symptoms. this is why to get more information on prevalence and risk factors in the general population is necessary to organize health care planning and the extent of clinical need.an increase in the use of digital technology and smart phones globally with mobile applications provide an alternative solution to the planning of primary health care services. in the us, approximately 90% of adults have a mobile phone, and 58% of these prefer smart phones, while in turkey, 98% of adults use mobile phones, and 77% of them are smart phones owners. the popularity of smart phones provides opportunities for reaching information and giving skills to users through applications. these applications offer new opportunities for collecting, evaluating, and monitoring health information and have portability, the flexibility of use, and a width of the access area.with the concept of this approaching (using digital technologies,) several systematic reviews have examined digital programs using for different health conditions/ pathologies (paralysis, lack of balance/stabilization, cardiac disorders, and joint / extremity). a great deal of physiotherapy interventions for hindfoot pain includes electrotherapy agents, 'hands-on' therapy, stretching, and strengthening exercises. the exercise programs are an essential part of rehabilitation programs for hindfoot pain, and patients who involved in this exercise program also need to get feedback by physiotherapist. for this reason, the digital technology-based applications are considered to be contributive for follow-up exercise regularly and detecting the changes and progression. additionally, to the best of our knowledge, a smartphone application research involving hindfoot pathology with suggesting assessment methods and including exercise program is not available in the literature. thereby, the study aims to evaluate the status of the individuals with hindfoot pain and to recommend preventive precautions and appropriate exercise programs with smart phone-based applications and to compare the results of patients who attended through mobile applications (achilles tendinopathy and plantar fasciitis) with the results of patients included in the hands-on program.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * pain in the heel and surrounding area * have given consent to be a volunteer for participating to the study * 18 years and older * ability to use a smartphone exclusion criteria: * having foot and ankle injury and surgery in the last three months * have received physiotherapy or local injection before randomization * having major pathologies during the rehabilitation program (severe heart and neuropsychiatric disorders, complicated diabetes mellitus) * neoplastic formation in the foot-ankle region * vision problem * night pain

Keywords: telerehabilitation hind foot pain plantar fasciitis achilles tendinopathy smart phone